Nutrition-related diseases are the most pervasive health problems in the United States of America, disproportionately affecting blacks and other socioeconomically underserved minority groups. The dimensions of the problems are still not fully defined. Available data do however indicate that the incidence of low birth weight in blacks is about 1.5 times that for white Americans, and infant mortality rate is almost twice as high for the former than for the latter group. Additionally, the prevalence and severity of such serious diseases as hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, which have strong nutritional components in their etiology and prevention, is much higher among blacks than in whites. Thorough understanding of the reasons for disparities in the nutrition-related diseases among blacks and whites is an important prerequisite for rational solution of the problems. Early in 1986, Meharry Medical College, a historically black institution which is committed to exploring and solving health problems of special concern to the disadvantaged, established a Center for Nutrition. This Center has a conceptual focus addressing mainly but not exclusively the nutritional problems of blacks and other minority groups. A primary center activity is the annual nutrition workshop during which a panel of 10-15 experts is assembled to review the current knowledge of a particular aspect of nutrition related to blacks and other minorities. The focus of the workshop would vary from year to year but each would examine the epidemiologic, biomedical, prevention and treatment aspects of the topic as well as define priority research areas. The theme for the first Annual Nutrition Workshop scheduled for October 27-30, 1987 is "IMPACT OF NUTRITION ON HEALTH AND DISEASE IN BLACKS AND MINORITIES". Under this broad theme, the workshop will examine the dimensions of human hunger in America as well as review the present state of knowledge on such specific topics as nutrition in relation to different phases of the life cycle, sickle cell disease, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The proceedings of each annual workshop would be published as part of the Meharry Medical College Monograph Series on Nutritional Aspects of Health Care of Blacks and Other Minorities, and these would serve as a set of basic reference volumes of nationwide and international importance.